What do you mean this isn’t the right train?
First off working on about four hours of sleep is not smart! But wake up in good time we did. By 5:05 we were out the door of the Molada Guesthouse (our home while in Haifa) and up to where we asked Abboud to have a taxi for us at 5:15. But of course we had to call again and finally by about 5:25 we were on our way. Not to the train station in town though, rather one that was further south. The taxi fare that was supposed to be 30 NIS turned into 49 NIS and we were too late to catch the train that was sitting there. Oh well, next train will have to do. But the next one we were told by a conductor who noticed our suitcases, was not the one to Ben Gurion Airport so we ignored it and got on the next train to come in. However, this time there wasn’t a friendly conductor, just one who came to tell us we couldn’t sit in the reserved seating cars unless we paid an extra 5 shekels each. Not happy, why was there nothing anywhere to say this? Another oh well, what can you do? We watch the scenery and the stations go by and don’t see a Ben Gurion Airport sign anywhere. So as we are sitting in the station called LOD (don’t ask, I don’t know) I asked Lawrie if he would ask if this was the right train for the airport. The fellow he asked said no, we needed to get off, return to a different station and then transfer!!! Off we get, dashing for a gate and someone to confirm this information. We produce our tickets and they are waved back into our pockets and the station manager then takes us to the train sitting on the other side of the platform and repeats where we need to get off. I repeat the name back to him and then ask for directions for the Ben Gurion train. At this point a bystander says a sentence or two to the manager and then gathers us up to get on the train. This woman is sent by God I’m sure. She very carefully stays with us on the train and then at the right station gets off with us and shows us the direction the train is going to come from and which way it will leave for the airport, she then dashes back to the train we came on and re-boards with a wave to us. I finally smile and wave back. We are soon back on track (pun intended) and find the final hurdles are not too onerous to overcome. After clearing a preliminary security with our suitcases and then getting our boarding cards, we in fact have time to sit with the best coffee I’ve had in a while and some lovely pastries! There are very good reasons to add at least an hour or two to travel plans. It was a very good thing we had the extra two today!
We met a Baha’i family that were on pilgrimage with us, as we were going through the boarding process. They also have some days here in Istanbul and have plans for a trip to Baha’u’llah’s house in Edirne too. We received some better instructions for our visit there as well. We hope to meet up and spend some more time in their company. Lovely to encounter friends when travelling.
Our hotel, the Aruna Hotel in fact, were good with their promise to have us picked up at the airport. The drive to the hotel was uneventful and we could feel a decompression happening. There was a very long stretch of ruined wall along the way. I’m sure we’ll know what that is about before many days go by. The manager is very friendly and casual. He fed us Turkish delight and we helped him with his English. Our room is as delightful as the sweet was, and I’m sure we will manage a good rest. The call to prayer at 3 (I think) in the afternoon was interesting as I think we are in range of at least two mosques. This could be a very instructional time! Lawrie is currently napping so I think I will just plunge into fixing the last weeks postings. I’m also thinking we will be out for a walk in a while as it seems to have quit raining. Good time to get lost in the dark perhaps? We are so close to the Mediterranean that I expect we can manage not getting lost. Dinner might be a challenge though as the manager’s choice for us looks like a bank account busting sort of place!
